Folding egg-crate.



A. D. WALLEN.

FOLDING EGG CRATE.

APPLICATION man JUNE 28, 1913.

Lfleg g'j Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

I N 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

A. D. WALLEN.

FOLDING EGG CRATE. APPLICATION man mus 2a. 1913.

1 166 9? Patented De0.28,1915.

n5; 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

II a I WKTE TATEg PATENT QFFlltJlEQ ALLEN D. WALLEN, OF CANE HILL, M ISSOURI.

FOLDING EGG-CRATE.

ing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to wh ch itappertains to make and use the smile.

This invention relates to folding crates.

and has for an object to provide an extremely simple folding crate that will have novel means for holding the crate in set up position.

A still further object is to provide a crate having a novel partition provided with extension hinges'whereby the crate may be collapsed without unfastening the partition in any manner.

\Vith the above objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be made in the minor details of construction within the scope of the appended claims.

in the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention :-Figure 1 is a side elevation of the crate in set up position. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 3 3 Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 44. Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a crate with the sides in initial position for folding and with the cover and bottom rockedto folded position. Fig. (3 is a plan view of the crate in folded position. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of one of the locking rods. Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view showing the extension hinges of the partition. p

Referring now to the drawings in which like characters of reference designate similar parts, the crate is shown to comprise sides 10 and ends 11 hingedly connected together at their meeting edges by hinges 12. By moving the sides longitudinally of each other they may be. collapsed fiat upon each other with the ends forming extensions of the sides as clearly shown in Fig, (1. bottom 13 is hiiigedly connected at the longitudinal edge to the bottom edge of one of the sides by hinges 14 and is adapted to be folded back upon the related side, in the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 2&1915.

Application filed June 28, 1913. Serial No. 776,411.

pbsition shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. A cover 15 is hingedly connected at one longitudinal edge to the top longitudinal edge of the opposite side by hinges 16 and is adapted to be folded back upon the related side in the position shown in Figs. 4,5 and 6. A partition 17 is provided with extension hinges each in the nature of a pair of rods 17 that have their inner ends bent to form eyes 17" which engage with the other rod ot the pair as shown, the outer ends of the rods being connected by staples 17" to the sides of the crate. These extension hinges permit of the partition folding flat upon the inner face of one of the sides upon the crate being folded, as shown in Fig. 6, without unfastening the partition in any way.

To hold the crate in set up position a side and the ends are equipped with upright rods 19 which are slidably fitted thereupon by means of staples 20, each rod terminating at its opposite ends in hooks 21 and 22. A plurality of openings 23 are formed in the mar ginal edges of the bottom 13 to receive the bottom hooks 21 of the rods, the top hooks 22 of the rods being adapted to engage over the top edges of the related sideand ends to hold the sides, ends and bottom in set up position.

To apply the rods to operative position, supposing that the sides, ends, bottom and partition are moved to set up position, and that the hooks are all disengaged from the top edges of the sides and ends. the bottom hooks 21 are engaged through their respective openings in thebottom 13- by sliding the rods upwardly, and then the rods are slid downwardly to engage the top hooks 22 over the top cdgesof the said side and the ends. The weight of the articles carried in the crate holds the bottom in gravitated position so that the terminal hooks of the rods remain in operative position and prevent collapse of the crate. To collapse the crate it is simply necessary to slide the rods upwardly until the top hooks 22 are disengaged from the top edges of the said side and the ends and then slide the rods downwardly until the bottom hooks 21 are disengaged from the bottom whereupon the sides, ends and bottom may be folded upon each other as above described. I

For holding the cover closed a spring hook 24 is secured to the cover by means of a staple 25, and is adapted to be engaged in a. staple 26 carried by one of the sides 10.

When it is desired to return the crate folded to the shipper, the fillers and flatters are placed inside of the crate and all folded together in a compact flat bundle which will take up minimum room in the car.

What is claimed, is

- 1. A folding crate comprising sides and ends hingedly connected together at their meeting edges and adapted to be folded with the said ends forming continuations of the said sides, a bottom hiiigedly connected to one of said sides and adapted to be folded upon said side, and a plurality of upright rods slidably fitted on the inner faces of the other side and the ends, said rods having hooks at their lower ends adapted to engage in openings in the marginal edge of the bottom, said r. ods further having hooks at their upper ends adapted to engage over the top edges of the adjacent side and the ends, said hooks when so engaged securing the sides,

ends and bottom inset upposition.

-2. A folding crate comprising sides and side, a bottom hinged to the other of said sides, and adapted to be folded back upon said side, means for holding said crate in set up position, and a partition within said crate having extension hinges connected to the sides each comprising a pair of rods slidably fitting upon said partition and each having at the inner end an eye encircling the other of said rods, said partition being adapted to fold flat upon one of said sides during foldiii of said crate.

n testimony whereof, I affix my signar ture, in the presence of two witnesses.

I ALLEN D. WALLEN.

Witnesses:

ALICE S. BOLEN, EMMA BELCHER. 

